Chemical composition of the humus layer, mineral soil and soil solution of 150 forest stands in the Netherlands in 1990

A nationwide assessment of the chemical composition of the humus layer, mineral topsoil (0-30 cm) and soil solution in both topsoil and subsoil (60-100 cm) was made for 150 forest stands in the year 1990. The stands, which were part of the national forest inventory on vitality, included seven tree species and were all located on non-calcareous sandy soils. Results show increased levels of nitrogen, aluminium, lead and cadmium in at least one of the various soil compartments, indicating the occurrenceof eutrophication, acidification and heavy-metal pollution. Tree species and stand characteristics, such as tree height and canopy coverage, appear to have the largest effect on the concentration level of the various chemical parameters by influencing the input by atmospheric deposition. The various assessments allowed the calculation of various parameters related to aluminium dissolution, cation exchange and phosphate adsorption, to be used in simulation models